The next morning came and Meredith opening the front door to her house gently encouraged Ally to walk inside, "here we are Ally."

Ally held her plastered arm with her good hand and looked around Meredith's house with wide eyes, "when is daddy coming?"

Meredith bent down to Ally's height showing a nurturing smile she usually reserved just for Noah, "he's coming very soon why don't you watch some television while we're waiting for him."

"When am I going home?"

"Well" Meredith said softly, "Ally your daddy and me were thinking it would be best if you stayed here until you get better."

"Why?"

"Well your daddy is working during the day and its going to be hard to find a babysitter that can look after you when he is working all day and you're going to have a few days off school so we thought you could stay here. Cristina can take care of you during the day and then your daddy and me can come here at nightime."

Ally looked at the big house and then at Meredith, "I want to go home."

"Sweetheart" Meredith very carefully picked up Ally in her arms, "I think you'll like it here and Noah will be here to you can play games with him when he gets home from school."

"But-"

"Just stay here one night" Meredith said softly, "and if you don't like living here you can go home tomorrow, does that sound okay?"

Ally nodded, "okay."

"Okay sweetheart" Meredith placed Ally down on the sofa and switched on her wide screened television, "I got some waffles and cookies in the cupboard does that sound nice."

Ally grinned, "sounds really nice."

"Okay."

Meredith took her time in the kitchen glancing back every few minutes making sure Ally was comfortable she chuckled when Ally almost sunk into the big squishy chairs and came back carrying a tray, "you're about to be swallowed by this big chair."

Ally giggled, "the chair's going to eat me."

"Well lucky for you kids taste like socks."

Ally climbed into Meredith's lap and smiled up at her, Meredith brushed the hair off Ally's forehead as she smiled back, "it's nice isn't it it's like going to the movies."

Ally pointed at the screen, "the tv is really big."

"It is indeed miss Ally here have a cookie."

"Thank you."

"And your always remembering your manners."

The pair sat on the sofa for a long time until the door suddenly opened and Meredith placing Ally off her lap and back on the sofa stood up like a rocket watched Derek running into the room, "Ally."

"Daddy" Ally said getting up and running to Derek who put a protective arm around her, "there you are" Derek said in a quiet voice.

"I missed you."

"Me to" Derek quickly bent down and gave Ally a quick hug and kissed her cheek and forehead, Meredith could see the fear and worry on his features and she immediately felt guilty, "Ally how long have you been here."

"All morning with Meredith."

"Derek" Meredith said, "could I talk to you in private."

"Yeah" Derek said trying to look calm, "Ally can you watch tv for a second."

"Okay" Ally hopped back on the sofa and Meredith led Derek to the kitchen she closed the door and Derek let it out, "Meredith."

"Derek" Meredith said in the same tone she used when her patients were acting up when she was trying to get them to rest, "before you start yelling at me just hear me out."

"Okay" Derek said in silent fury, "explain to me why you brought my daughter my injured daughter to your house from the hospital this morning without telling me and leaving me running around Seattle shit scared for the last hour."

"Because I want Ally to stay here."

"What?"

"Until she gets better" Meredith looked Derek dead in the eye, "I think Ally should stay here."

"Okay" Derek said in disbelief, "explain."

"You need to work and finding a babysitter who can look after a child with a broken arm who is willing and able to be with her all day is going to be difficult and expensive. If Ally stays here Cristina will be here during the day Ally is used to her she can take care of her and Noah will be here after school she'll have a friend and I can be here for her to and you can come round here any time you want, I mean you can stay here to."

Derek narrowed his eyes, "what did Ally say?"

"I think she's warming up to the idea she likes the big television and when she and Noah are having fun tonight I be willing to bet my career she'll be happy staying here."

"Meredith" Derek said firmly, "i'm going to take Ally home right now." Derek opened the door and Meredith quickly grabbed his arm, "Derek you can't bring Ally to your house."

"Meredith" Derek said as calmly as he could as he tried to control his anger, "Ally is my kid not yours and as long as i'm her parent i'll look after her."

"Derek Noah told me your house is festered with rats and cockroaches. I've been in your house there is a smell that worries me its like passively inhaling substances."

"Are you making this up?"

"Okay I am but Derek my house is cleaner, there's nutritious meals and-"

"You think" Derek said loudly, "Ally isn't safe in my house."

"Derek" Meredith tried to stop herself from crumbling inside she hated making anyone she cared about hurt and angry but with Derek it somehow felt even worse, "your house is a small trailer near a street it's a prime place for burglars and thieves do you want Ally to be put at risk."

"It's a nice neighbourhood there hasn't been a break in for years."

"Derek please just, don't do this."

"Don't do what" Derek said as his eyes flashed with anger, "Ally is no safer here than she is at my house don't you see that. Do you think because your richer than me and your house is nicer than mine than you can look after my daughter better I can."

Meredith had tears in her eyes, "no it's not that."

"Bullshit its exactly that" Derek walked back into the living room to find Ally staring at the tv screen, "Ally."

Ally looked up and furrowed her brows as she saw her daddy looking angry and Meredith looking upset, "why are you mad and why are you sad."

"We're going home."

"Derek" Meredith said one more time, "will you just listen."

"No you listen to me" Derek said as he turned around, "you can't go around abducting other people's kids to try and keep them safe from some upcoming danger that might not even happen this isn't like bloody noah's ark with the animals."

"Just let her stay here for one night for pity sake."

"No" Derek said using a hand motion to illustrate his point, "come on Ally were going home."

"No" Ally said.

Derek's eyes widened, "what?"

"You and Meredith are fighting" Ally stood in the middle and looked back at forth at her two favourite grownups in the world, "we're not going home until you are friends again."

"Ally" Derek said through clenched teeth.

"Say sorry to each other."

"Ally get in the truck" Derek said firmly.

"But-"

"Ally do as you're told."

"Derek" Meredith said showing anger herself, "don't speak to her like that she's just trying to get through to that pig head of yours."

Ally looked up at Derek, "say sorry to each other."

"Ally" Derek said trying his best not to lose his temper completely, "you're about to be in big trouble young lady."

"No" Ally said definitely "i'm staying here until you and Meredith are nice to each other again."

"Okay" Derek said as he picked up his jacket, "you can stay here if you want."

"Derek" Meredith dashed to the door, "wait don't."

"Just don't talk to me right now" Derek said as he opened the door, "I don't want to say something i'll regret."

Derek stormed out and Meredith with a combination of no sleep, constant pressure from work and an argument that she never wanted to have with a man she had strong feelings for felt tears falling from her eyes a second later she felt a small arm hugging her leg, "Meredith."

"Oh Ally" Meredith said as her hand rubbed Ally's head, "i'm so sorry."

"What did you do to make daddy mad?"

"I lied."

"You did?"

Meredith sat down on the sofa and felt Ally climbing into her lap again, "do you remember I said to you that your daddy and me wanted you to stay here until you got better."

Ally nodded, "uh huh."

"That's not true" Meredith whispered as her hand brushed Ally's cheek, "I wanted you to stay here because I felt that if you were here you would be safe and your daddy wanted you to come home because he feels that if you were at home you would be safe and we had a fight."

Ally thought hard to herself as she tried to understand before giving a nod, "oh."

"And that's why" Meredith said in a soft voice, "your daddy is mad at me."

"Why didn't you say sorry to him?"

"Because I was silly" Meredith said as she gave a weak smile, "I should have just said sorry to him instead we had a fight."

"Oh."

"Ally" Meredith's hands rubbed one of Ally's small shoulders, "do you still want to go home."

Ally quickly shook her head, "no"

"Ally" Meredith looked into Ally's eyes and gave a small smile, "are you just saying this because I want you to stay here."

"Um."

"Sweetheart if you want to go home then you go home okay don't worry about how I feel. If your happy being at home than you go home."

"I'll go home."

"Do you want to go home now?"

Ally looked at Meredith and at the tv, "maybe i'll wait until daddy comes."

"Ally" Meredith reached out a hand and gently brushed Ally's cheek with her fingers, "he may not want to come back to this house."

"He will" Ally said with confidence, "don't worry Meredith daddy loves coming here every time we come here he grins like this." Ally pulled her mouth with her fingers and Meredith snorted, "alright" Meredith eased back into the chair, "I won't worry than."

"Meredith."

"Yes honey?"

"Lying to children is really mean."

Meredith nodded, "I know it is i'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough" Ally gave Meredith her cheekiest grin, "your punishment is one extra date with daddy that brings it up to fifty dates."

"Actually" Meredith chuckled, "I think its three and a half."

Ally counted on her fingers before gasping, "have you been on another date?"

"Yes we have" Meredith said smiling, "we were on a date yesterday."

Ally grinned, "was there kissing?"

Meredith smirked, "maybe there was."

"Ooooohhhhhh."

Meredith leaned in close, "maybe there wasn't."

Ally blew a farting noise between her lips as Meredith chuckled, "but it was still a lot of fun I remember the first date we had was at the beach it was beautiful we had nice waves and nice sun and I think the best part was finding a little monkey named Ally who was hiding under a blanket watching us."

Ally grinned sheepishly and Meredith drew an arm around her as she gave her a cuddle. Several hours had passed and after Meredith had left Ally with Cristina she had caught Noah in her arms after her son had ran full speed into Meredith from the classroom and was now driving Noah home while Noah was looking through his school scrapbook, "so tell me about your latest adventures in school."

"Mommy" Noah looked up from a page full of stickers, "do you know that red and purple makes orange."

"I did not know that that's amazing."

"Yeah and you can put watermelon seeds in your nose."

"Just remember to take the seeds out." Meredith pulled up to the house and turned her head to have a serious talk with her son, "now honey Ally is here."

Noah grinned, "Ally's here."

"Yes" Meredith held Noah's shoulder to stop him from jumping out of the car, "but sweetheart she has a broken arm so she can't run around and go crazy like you two usually do, she needs to take it easy and rest."

"Oh" Noah said with a expressionless face.

"So we'll do quiet things." Meredith walked with Noah to the door and the pair came walking into the house to find Ally on the chairs, "Noah."

"Ally" Noah said as he jumped on to the sofa, "why are you not in bed."

Ally looked at the clock on the wall, "it's not bedtime Noah."

"But your sick" Noah looked at Meredith as if to say back me up, "you have a broken arm so you need to be in bed."

Ally grumbled, "I don't want to be in bed, i'm always in bed its boring in bed."

"Noah" Meredith picked Noah up in her arms, "Ally doesn't need to be in bed."

"But you said-"

"What I meant" Meredith sat down on the sofa, "was that you can do quiet things such as read, watch tv maybe talk."

Ally rose off the chair, "Noah lets talk."

"About what?"

"Secret stuff."

"Okay" Noah sat on the carpet and Ally looked at Meredith, "its secret."

"So i'm not allowed to talk about secret stuff am I" Meredith smiled as Ally shook her head, "nope only kids can."

"Okay" Meredith wandered to the kitchen, "i'll just be in here making Noah's favourite dinner carrot soup."

Noah made a face, Ally looked confused, "what's wrong with carrot soup?"

"Its two bad foods put together."

"I'll eat the soup."

"Ally I was only kidding i'm not making carrot soup I will be making you two sandwiches and cheese."

Ally waited for Meredith to close the door and turned to her friend, "Noah your mommy and my daddy are fighting."

Noah gasped, "they are."

"Yeah they were fighting this morning."

"This is not good."

"No its not, we got to get them to be friends again."

"We better" Noah nodded, "or else we won't be hanging out at my house anymore."

"What's the plan" Ally said.

"Ah" Noah thought to himself, "I know."

Meredith finished cutting cheese slices when the front doorbell sounded and with a deep breath she went to answer it and found Derek looking at her with sorry eyes that immediately made Meredith feel better, "Derek."

"I" Derek started.

"You want to talk."

"That would be good" Derek said softly, Meredith led Derek into the living room.

"There they are" Noah cried out as he and Ally circled the pair, "sit."

Meredith and Derek gave each other a what's going on look and sat down, Noah strolled around the pair of them like a school headmaster circling two out of control teenagers, "you two were fighting."

"Well" Derek said as he tried not to laugh at the look on Noah's face, "yeah mate we were but ah."

"Say sorry to each other" Ally said, "and this time daddy don't walk out of the house like a big grump."

"Kids" Meredith smiled.

"Say sorry" Noah said, "your not going to bed mad."

"That's not allowed" Ally chipped in, "say your sorry."

"Well than" Derek said with a smile, "i'm sorry Meredith."

"I'm sorry to."

"Now shake hands" Noah said.

"Okay" Meredith reached out her hand and Derek laughing shook it.

"This isn't funny" Noah muttered.

"Of course its not honey" Meredith smiled, "okay we're friends again."

"Thank god" Ally said loudly.

"We're going up to play with toys" Noah went upstairs with Ally as Meredith and Derek laughed, "well now we've broken the ice."

"Derek" Meredith took Derek's fingers in hers, "i'm very sorry for what I did this morning, I had no right to bring Ally here without telling you and the truth is I wanted Ally here because if she wasn't here I would be worried sick about her."

Derek kissed Meredith's hand, "Ally's very lucky to have you in her life."

"I could say the same about you and Noah."

"Well he's a fun little dude" Derek said, "he's just proven that, Meredith i'm going to find a good babysitter to look after Ally while i'm out at work and Ally will be fine if you like she can come here on the weekends."

"No Derek" Meredith whispered, "Ally is happy where she is living and she should be living here not coming here just because i'm feeling paranoid."

"There's nothing wrong with caring."

"I guess not."

Derek kissed Meredith and Meredith pulled away, "Derek we need to be more careful."

"We're not ready to tell them?"

"We will be soon."

The next day

Derek had gotten up early to do household chores when he heard a knock and opened the front door he saw a teenager with streaks of purple hair blowing gum and carrying a backpack the bubble popped and she gave a grin, "hi what's up."

"Hi" Derek said, "can I help you."

"Well that depends you got rugrats."

Derek looked at her suspiciously, "you look a bit young to be from child services."

The girl shrugged, "my folks and I just moved into the neighbourhood and i'm looking for babysitting jobs for a bit of extra cash so i'm asking around."

"Well" Derek opened the door and allowed her to come in, "as a matter of fact I do."

"Score so what are your munchkins like?"

"Well its just one her name is Allison everyone calls her Ally she's six years old she is usually well behaved and is very friendly and likes to have fun. The main issue is that she recently broke her arm while on the monkey bars at school."

The girl shrugged, "that's not a problem."

"Do you have any references."

"Sure" the girl reached in her bag, "I got written letters."

"Well that saves me making phone calls" Derek looked at the letters, "so your name is Mia."

"Yep i'm Mia and everyone calls me Mia."

"Right" Derek said, "i'm Derek and everyone calls me Derek."

Mia rolled her eyes, "dude its no longer funny."

"Right" Derek muttered as Ally came into view she looked at the girl who smiled back at her, "daddy who is she?"

"Ally" Derek said, "when you meet someone new you introduce yourself that's manners."

"Hi i'm Mia" Mia walked in close and bent down smiling, "what's your name?"

"Ally" Ally said as she smiled back.

"Ally that's such a cool name."

"Thank you."

"How old are you?"

"Six."

"Six my favourite number."

"I like it to" Ally grinned.

Mia winked at Derek, "do you have some cool toys?"

"I do daddy made me toys i'll show you."

"Cool kiddo" Ally wandered to her bedroom and Mia started to follow, "oh yeah we'll discuss my pay when I get down, don't worry I work cheap."

Derek watched Mia disappear and looked through the letters and found that they contained nothing but positive comments about Mia, "well that was lucky."